{"product_id":"if-the-oceans-were-ink-an-unlikely-friendship-and-a-journey-to-the-heart-of-the-quran-by-carla-power","title":"If the Oceans Were Ink An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran by Carla Power","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePULITZER PRIZE FINALIST \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST •  \u003cb\u003eNamed A Best Book of the Year by \u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post \u003c\/i\u003eand\u003ci\u003e The Denver Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eP\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eraised by Fareed Zakaria as “intelligent, compassionate, and revealing,” a powerful journey to help bridge one of the greatest divides shaping our world today.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf the Oceans Were Ink\u003c\/i\u003e is Carla Power's eye-opening story of how she and her longtime friend Sheikh Mohammad Akram Nadwi found a way to confront ugly stereotypes and persistent misperceptions that were cleaving their communities. Their friendship-between a secular American and a madrasa-trained sheikh-had always seemed unlikely, but now they were frustrated and bewildered by the battles being fought in their names. Both knew that a close look at the Quran would reveal a faith that preached peace and not mass murder; respect for women and not oppression. And so they embarked on a yearlong journey through the controversial text.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA journalist who grew up in the Midwest and the Middle East, Power offers her unique vantage point on the Quran's most provocative verses as she debates with Akram at cafes, family gatherings, and packed lecture halls, conversations filled with both good humor and powerful insights. Their story takes them to madrasas in India and pilgrimage sites in Mecca, as they encounter politicians and jihadis, feminist activists and conservative scholars. Armed with a new understanding of each other's worldviews, Power and Akram offer eye-opening perspectives, destroy long-held myths, and reveal startling connections between worlds that have seemed hopelessly divided for far too long.\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eIf the Oceans Were Ink\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A vibrant tale of a friendship.... \u003ci\u003eIf the Oceans Were Ink\u003c\/i\u003e is a welcome and nuanced look at Islam [and] goes a long way toward combating the dehumanizing stereotypes of Muslims that are all too common.... \u003ci\u003e If the Oceans Were Ink\u003c\/i\u003e should be mandatory reading for the 52 percent of Americans who admit to not knowing enough about Muslims.”—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Journalist Power writes about her year studying the Quran with a Muslim scholar she befriended while working at a think tank in London. For some, this will be a strong introduction to Islam. To others, it's fodder for discussion on the Sheikh's views, how Westerners (such as Power) interpret those views and the interplay of culture and religion.” \u003ci\u003e—\u003cb\u003eThe Denver Post \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e “For all those who wonder what Islam says about war and peace, men and women, Jews and gentiles, this is the book to read. It is a conversation among well-meaning friends—intelligent, compassionate, and revealing—the kind that needs to be taking place around the world.”—\u003cb\u003eFareed Zakaria, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Post-American World\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Carla Power’s intimate portrait of the Quran, told with nuance and great elegance, captures the extraordinary, living debate over the Muslim holy book’s very essence. A spirited, compelling read.”—\u003cb\u003eAzadeh Moaveni, author of \u003ci\u003eLipstick Jihad\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“An inspiring story of two [people] from different worlds who refuse to let religious and cultural differences, prejudice, and ignorance get in the way of their friendship, \u003ci\u003eIf the Oceans Were Ink\u003c\/i\u003e is as thought-provoking as it is elegantly written. It takes a difficult, highly charged topic and puts it into terms that are not only understandable and eye-opening, but beautiful.”—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBustle\u003c\/i\u003e (11 Beautifully Written Memoirs by Women)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e“Unique, masterful, and deeply engaging. Carla Power takes the reader on an extraordinary journey in interfaith understanding as she debates and discovers the Quran’s message, meaning, and values on peace and violence, gender and veiling, religious pluralism and tolerance.”—\u003cb\u003eJohn L. Esposito, University Professor and Professor of Islamic Studies, Georgetown University, and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Future of Islam\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A thoughtful, provocative, intelligent book.”—\u003cb\u003eDiana Abu-Jaber, author of \u003ci\u003eBirds Of Paradise\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Language of Baklava\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e“\u003c\/i\u003eWith a journalist’s mind for the story, a born traveler’s heart for the adventure of crossing borders, and a seeker’s yen for the poetry and mysticism of belief, Power creates an exceptional record of a timeless quest.”—\u003cb\u003eMerritt Tierce, a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” honoree and author of \u003ci\u003eLove Me Back\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eISBN: 9780805098198\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Henry Holt \u0026 Company Inc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43016178991167,"sku":null,"price":24.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0647\/8626\/8223\/files\/17537523482474.jpg?v=1773746579","url":"https:\/\/bookconnection.com.au\/products\/if-the-oceans-were-ink-an-unlikely-friendship-and-a-journey-to-the-heart-of-the-quran-by-carla-power","provider":"The Book Connection","version":"1.0","type":"link"}